In order to get myself writing more, I’m starting a series of posts about my top five *various things in various categories*
The first post is my top 5 musicians (or singers/producers/musical artists/whatever) would be a better term. This was really hard for me, as I have pretty varied music taste and while I could point out my top favorites in a certain genre, in a general sense, it’s pretty hard. (And embarrassingly enough, there is not one non-Asian artist in this list) But I tried my best, and here they are from fifth to first, with five runner-ups.
#5. Lee Jung Hyun
She is the only female to make it to the top five! I don’t know why I love her so much; it’s sort of like my mysterious worship of Lady Gaga, although LJH has been doing her thang much longer. She’s not the best singer (her songs are usually her half-yelling/half-singing) or dancer, but she does what she wants in a creative, fierce way. I love how her lyrics push the boundaries for female singers in Korea: her lyrics and videos are often very sexual, and often have an angry feeling to them, different from the sugary stuff other female pop artists often sing. She’s definitely not everyone’s cup of tea, but I think that her unique abrasiveness is what I like about her.
Lee Jun Hyun – Tell Me
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#4. Khalil Fong
He is one of several R&B/hiphop artists on this list. Not only did he self-teach himself piano and guitar, he writes his own songs, and his voice is heavenly. He has a sweet tenor tone that really expresses the rhythm and blues influences in his music. And in addition, he’s such a cute little dork as well, it’s hard not to be smitten by him. I wasn’t very impressed by his first album, but by the second I was completely hooked. While his more upbeat songs are definitely great, I love his slower, ballad-esque ones, because they really show off his talent.
Khalil Fong – Ai wo Ba
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#3. Epik High
I originally had them at #2, but I moved them down a spot because a) I find Tablo annoying and b) my previous #3 is releasing a new single, which made me super happy. Yes, I’m fickle like that. But, I don’t think there would be many people that would disagree with me about the awesomeness of EH. The lyrics, the music, Mithra’s delicious rapping… As much as Tablo’s egotism gets on my nerves, I definitely respect his ability to write meaningful rap lyrics (something sorely missing in the mainstream US scene, to say the least) and say what needs to be said despite societal pressures to simply comply or pretend the issue doesn’t exist.
Epik High – 당신의 조각들 (feat. 지선)
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#2. Shimizu Shota
This guy is Asian R&B done right. He doesn’t claim inspiration from “black music” (god, I hate that term) then shun those from which he gained inspiration. He went to a school where he learned how to sing gospel music, and has even sung at the Apollo Theater. He too, writes his own music, and while they are often about love, they aren’t stereotypical. Also, his voice, like Khalil’s, is a great tone for soul music, but has much more punch to it, probably from gospel vocal training. His more recent works are a bit more pop than his debut album, but he has kept the R&B influences alive quite well.
Shimizu Shota – UNHAPPY
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Shimizu Shota – Utsushiki hibiyo
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#1. Nakata Yasutaka
Something a little different from the other four, as he produces rather than performs. I love this guy. He is pretty much the only person in this entire universe I fangirl over besides Stephen Colbert. I first discovered him through capsule way back in the early 00s when they still had the cutesy picopop sound, and have followed his various productions since then, from his poor obscure contemode artists to MEG and Perfume. It has been awesome to see him grow in his music. I’ve also been very lucky to meet him and see him in DJ in person. He’s a still a very down-to-earth guy despite his growing fame, and sweet to party with and a great dresser. When you see him do his thing, you can really realize just how much his music means to him, and that’s something I really can appreciate. I’m always excited to see what he comes up with next!
Nakata Yasutaka – Liar Game
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capsule – Sugarless Girl (Rmx Ver.)
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